Rolex celebrates the spirit of discovery and those who dare to tread where no one has before, with the launch of its new Explorer II. Since climbers began wearing Rolex watches in the 20th century - notably Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on their quest to reach the top of Mount Everest in 1953 - the brand has become synonymous with buccaneers.
The first Explorer, launched in 1970, and this latest version, turns back the clock and looks to the original for inspiration.
The larger, 42mm case houses the Rolex 3187 self-winding movement. New technologies have enabled Rolex to add a non-magnetic parachrom hairspring, improving the reliability of the watch, while Paraflex shock absorbers make it more resistant to knocks.
An orange, arrow-shaped 24-hour hand mirrors the one on the original model, but today's technology allows the hand to be set independently and display a second time zone with the 24-hour hand and bezel. The watch also features a GMT 12-hour hand.
Other new additions see white or black dials fitted with a Chromalight display, which emits a blue glow capable of lasting up to eight hours, twice as long as that of standard luminescent materials.
Giving the hands on the black model a black base creates a 'phantom' effect of floating across the dial, another nod to the original Explorer.